Custom guitar - pickup choice for HSSH config

[Jonatan]

Hi! I'm preparing to built my custom guitar. Right now I'm playing on EBMM S. Morse. I love versatility and pickup configurations, thats why I want to make my own project with few changes. I'm playing a lot of types of music: blues / rock / hard rock / 80s metal and some of the new bands (Gojira mostly). Guitar body will be made out of alder, I want from bridge pickup clarity and "punch", I was thinking of getting Miracle Man, but Crawler or Holydiver seems pretty nice too. For neck I want something with split-coil "singing", and expressive, here my number 1 is Cold Sweat, but I like sound of SD SH1 and I was told that VHII is "better sh1". What do you think?

Abouth single coils I was thinking of some seymour duncans or bkp boot camp true grit single.

[Telerocker]

I think you got if figured out. Miracle Man is not your typical bluespickup but it's a quite versatile hotter pickup.

https://forum.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/index.php?topic=22423.0

Both CS and VHII-neckpickups are highly recommend for fluid singing tones. Choice is a matter of preference. I don't know SD neckpickups, so cannot comment on that. Neither do I have experience with the True Grit, but if they are a bit like Irish Tours, I think you will have a nice versatile rockaxe with these three pickups.

[Dave Sloven]

Is the Rebel Yell neck the middle ground between the Cold Sweat and VHII necks?  Or am I thinking of a different one?

[Jonatan]

Its pretty much as I thought. Any other suggestions? Cold Sweat is pretty much number 1, but Miracle Man? Or maybe Holydiver / Crawler?

[Telerocker]

Its pretty much as I thought. Any other suggestions? Cold Sweat is pretty much number 1, but Miracle Man? Or maybe Holydiver / Crawler?

Crawler will be too round and soft (in the bass) for you, I guess. The Diver would be a better alternative. It has the emphasis on the mid-mids, where the Miracle Man has a bigger mid-low and low end. Both don't have a piercing topend, so ideal for a alder bolt on guitar.

[stratguy23]

I’ve had great luck getting many of the tones you listed with a Holy Diver in an alder Super Strat. I definitely think that’s one worth considering. The Emerald neck pairs well with the Holy Diver bridge, and at least in my LesPaul it can do some pretty good singing tones and splits well, haven’t played the other ones you’ve listed though.

[Lucas]

I think you got if figured out. Miracle Man is not your typical bluespickup but it's a quite versatile hotter pickup.

Totally agree with Telerocker, although Miracle Man is really versatile for hot ceramic pickup it wouldn't be typical blues pickup, but if you play rock, hard rock and Gojira stuff and don`t mind little more edge Miracle Man should be fine. Otherwise Holydiver should fit perfectly.


Regarding Miracle Man I recently recorded heavy blues/hard rock track using whole MM set, give it a listem, might give you an idea of Miracle Man in a bit softer music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9TH3Sv9R-Q

Cheers

[Jonatan]

Idea changed a bit, guitar will have NTB neck (flame maple + wenge) with wings made from Khaya (african mahogany). Still you think CS + MM is bet idea for humbuckers?

[Dave Sloven]

Miracle Man is always the #1 suggestion for maple neck through body guitars.  The wing construction does't matter that much with NTB

[Telerocker]

Miracle Man is always the #1 suggestion for maple neck through body guitars.  The wing construction does't matter that much with NTB

Listen to Dave on this one!

[Jonatan]

What about single coils? Which one will play nice with maple/wenge ntb neck and ebony macassar fingerboard? I think i need smthg with bass and mids (cause ebony + maple will be bright (well I think they will))